Slides in this set

Slide 1

Slide 2

The Origins of Chartism· 1832 ­ There was widespread support for the Reform Bill of 1832 in the working class, swept by the enthusiasm of reform.· Many however were disappointed and angered as the reforms that came about benefitted only the middle class, leaving workers feeling betrayed ­ Henry Hunt, and Michael Sadler both lost seats in Parliament, with land-owners replacing them.· The idea of working glass reform was also spurred on by the Factory Act 1833, the Attack on trade unions in 1834 (involving the Tolpuddle Martyrs), the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 and the War on the Unstamped.…read more

Slide 3

The Charter, the Petition and the Convention 1837-39· 1837: Six leaders of the London Working Men's Association (LWMA) drew up the "People's Charter", six points for political reform:· Universal manhood suffrage· Vote by secret ballot· Annual Parliament· Equal electoral districts· Abolition of the property qualification for MPs· Payment for MPs…read more

Slide 4

The new People's Charter was adopted nationwide by many political unions, such as the Birmingham Political Union, and launched in Glasgow in May 1838.· It was decided that a petition should be signed and handed to Parliament, collected at mass meetings nationwide.· 20,000 attended mass meetings in Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds, while the Chartist press flourished, especially The Northern Star, selling 50,000 a week.· One and quarter million signatures were collected, with the petition being over 3 miles long, unprecedented at the time.· July 1839: Parliament reject the petition, by 235 votes to 46; most MPs wanted nothing to do with further reform.…read more

Slide 5

The rejection of the National Petition led to a split in the Chartism movement; "moral force" (backed by the majority of Chartists, with chief authors such as William Lovett) vs. "physical force" (in the belief of defensive violence):· "Peacefully if we can, forcefully if we must"· November 1839: 10,000 miners and iron workers marched to Newport, Wales, with pikes and guns. After surrounding the local Westgate Hotel, armed guards fired upon the Chartists, leaving 20 dead ­ this would be known as the Newport Rising· Authorities viewed this as an armed uprising, leading to the transportation of the key leaders, and the government repression of the Chartist movement.…read more

Slide 6

Chartism in the 1840s· It was recognised that the Chartist movement had to be reorganised after the first failure; The Northern Star encouraged the establishment of the National Charter Association (NCA) ­ by 1842, it had 50,000 members in 400 branches.· Other "moral force" Chartists set about starting educational schemes, to encourage self-improvement, respectable behaviour and promote responsibility in society.· A new petition was signed by 3 million in 1842, aided by an economic depression and sharp rise in unemployment, making it the most successful petition of the Chartist movement.· May 1842: Parliament reject the petition by a huge majority.…read more

Slides in this set

Slide 1

Slide 2

The Origins of Chartism· 1832 ­ There was widespread support for the Reform Bill of 1832 in the working class, swept by the enthusiasm of reform.· Many however were disappointed and angered as the reforms that came about benefitted only the middle class, leaving workers feeling betrayed ­ Henry Hunt, and Michael Sadler both lost seats in Parliament, with land-owners replacing them.· The idea of working glass reform was also spurred on by the Factory Act 1833, the Attack on trade unions in 1834 (involving the Tolpuddle Martyrs), the Municipal Corporations Act 1835 and the War on the Unstamped.…read more

Slide 3

The Charter, the Petition and the Convention 1837-39· 1837: Six leaders of the London Working Men's Association (LWMA) drew up the "People's Charter", six points for political reform:· Universal manhood suffrage· Vote by secret ballot· Annual Parliament· Equal electoral districts· Abolition of the property qualification for MPs· Payment for MPs…read more

Slide 4

The new People's Charter was adopted nationwide by many political unions, such as the Birmingham Political Union, and launched in Glasgow in May 1838.· It was decided that a petition should be signed and handed to Parliament, collected at mass meetings nationwide.· 20,000 attended mass meetings in Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds, while the Chartist press flourished, especially The Northern Star, selling 50,000 a week.· One and quarter million signatures were collected, with the petition being over 3 miles long, unprecedented at the time.· July 1839: Parliament reject the petition, by 235 votes to 46; most MPs wanted nothing to do with further reform.…read more

Slide 5

The rejection of the National Petition led to a split in the Chartism movement; "moral force" (backed by the majority of Chartists, with chief authors such as William Lovett) vs. "physical force" (in the belief of defensive violence):· "Peacefully if we can, forcefully if we must"· November 1839: 10,000 miners and iron workers marched to Newport, Wales, with pikes and guns. After surrounding the local Westgate Hotel, armed guards fired upon the Chartists, leaving 20 dead ­ this would be known as the Newport Rising· Authorities viewed this as an armed uprising, leading to the transportation of the key leaders, and the government repression of the Chartist movement.…read more

Slide 6

Chartism in the 1840s· It was recognised that the Chartist movement had to be reorganised after the first failure; The Northern Star encouraged the establishment of the National Charter Association (NCA) ­ by 1842, it had 50,000 members in 400 branches.· Other "moral force" Chartists set about starting educational schemes, to encourage self-improvement, respectable behaviour and promote responsibility in society.· A new petition was signed by 3 million in 1842, aided by an economic depression and sharp rise in unemployment, making it the most successful petition of the Chartist movement.· May 1842: Parliament reject the petition by a huge majority.…read more